Leon Davis appears headed to the WAFL and Brendan Fevola will probably have to pursue his sporting dreams overseas after Tuesday’s AFL drafts. The two veterans, who will turn 31 next year, are unlikely to secure new AFL homes in the pre-season and rookie drafts.
They are the duo’s last chances to join a club before next season.
Davis left Collingwood at the end of this season, saying he wanted to return home to Western Australia.
But Fremantle are set to use their pre-season pick on former St Kilda full-back Zac Dawson and West Coast are unlikely to offer him a lifeline with a rookie selection.
Davis is an unusual case – he made the All-Australian team for the second time this year after re-inventing himself as a running defender and has played 213 senior games.
He also has family in South Australia and there was speculation Davis could join Port Adelaide, but the Power will also not pick him.
Despite considerable media speculation and his undoubted on-field talent, Fevola’s off-field baggage appears to have ensured that he will also not have one last AFL chance.
Brisbane sacked the two-time Coleman Medallist and three-time All-Australian earlier this year after another off-field drama.
He has since played in the VFL and in the Northern Territory.
Fevola has said in the media that he is resigned to never playing in the AFL again.
He is likely to head to the United States and become the latest former AFL key forward to try out as an NFL punter.
There was speculation last week that an Adelaide businessman would take out a major sponsorship with the cash-strapped Power if they recruited Davis or Fevola.
But the Power are rebuilding and have made it clear they will not take either player.
There will be 11 picks in the pre-season draft, but only five of them are likely to be used.
While Greater Western Sydney have the first picks ahead of next year’s debut, they are set to pass on all of them.
GWS will probably also only use one of their picks in the rookie draft.
Gold Coast are likely to recruit former St Kilda utility Andrew McQualter with their pre-season choice at No.7.
Then comes Port Adelaide, who will probably go with delisted North Melbourne player Gavin Urquhart.
Richmond are interested in ex-Collingwood forward John McCarthy and then come the Dockers, who will reunite Dawson with their new coach Ross Lyon.
The Western Bulldogs have the last pre-season draft pick.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Notes: 1. Both Neon Leon and Fev have missed out, their AFL careers are over, no surprise with Fev, but you would have thought that Davis had plenty to offer still - he has signed with a WAFL club already, Fev will probably try his luck in the US. 2. GWS made no draft selections, and picked up one solitary rookie - not sure what the story is there - it's hard to believe that they honestly believe they have a competitive list for 2012. 3. Port snuck in ahead of the tiges to select McCarthy, the big surprise selection from today. 4. I didn't recognise a lot of names amongst the rookie selections. North picked Malcolm Lynch, who I think was on the doggies' list for a few years.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Today's pre-season and rookie draft: NAB AFL Pre-Season Draft: 1: GWS Giants: PASS 2: GWS Giants: PASS 3: GWS Giants: PASS 4: GWS Giants: PASS 5: GWS Giants: PASS 6: GWS Giants: PASS 7: Gold Coast Suns: Aaron Hall 8: Port Adelaide: John McCarthy 9: Richmond: Brett O'Hanlon 10: Fremantle: Zac Dawson 11: Western Bulldogs: Fletcher Roberts Rookie draft selections: Pick 1: GWS: Sam Frost Pick 2: GC Suns: Kyal Horsley Pick 3: Port: Darren Pfeiffer Pick 4: Brisbane: Justin Clarke Pick 5: Adelaide: Rory Laird Pick 6: Melbourne: Jai Sheehan Pick 7: Richmond: Addam Maric Pick 8: Fremantle: Lee Spurr Pick 9: WB: Ling Jong Pick 10: North: Max Warren Pick 11: Essendon: Lauchlan Dalgleish Pick 12: St Kilda: Sam Dunnell Pick 13: Sydney: Shane Biggs Pick 14: Carlton: Tom Bell Pick 15: West Coast: Michael Mascoulis Pick 16: Hawthorn Broc McCauley Pick 17: Collingwood: Lachlan Smith Pick 18: Geelong: Cam Eardley Pick 19: GWS: Pass Pick 20: GC Suns: Andrew McQualter Pick 21: Port Adelaide: Danny Butcher Pick 22: Brisbane: Stephen Wrigley Pick 23: Adelaide: Dylan Orval Pick 24: Melbourne: Thomas Crouch Pick 25: Richmond: Ben Darrou Pick 26: Fremantle: Haiden Schlothe Pick 27: Western Bulldogs: Tom Campbell Pick 28: North Melbourne: Brad Mangan Pick 29: Essendon: Corey Dell'Olio Pick 30: St Kilda: Cameron Shenton Pick 31: Sydney Swans: Campbell Heath Pick 32: Carlton: Nick Heyne Pick 33: West Coast: Callum Papertalk Pick 34: Hawthorn: Amos Frank Pick 35: Collingwood: Marley Williams Pick 36: Geelong: Jackson Sheringham Pick 37: GWS: Pass Pick 38: GC Suns: Michael Coad Pick 39: Port Adelaide: Pass Pick 40: Brisbane Lions: Jack Crisp Pick 41: Adelaide: Tim McIntyre Pick 42: Melbourne James Magmer Pick 43: Richmond: Steven Verrier Pick 44: Fremantle: Sam Mengola Pick 45: Western Bulldogs: Alex Greenwood Pick 46: North Melbourne: Malcolm Lynch Pick 47: Essendon: Mark Bageley Pick 48: St Kilda: Jordan Staley Pick 49: Sydney: Pass Pick 50: Carlton: Frazer Dale Pick 51: West Coast: Simon Tunbridge Pick 52: Hawthorn: Andrew Boseley Pick 53: Collingwood: Trent Stubbs Pick 54: Geelong: Mark Blicavs Pick 55: GWS: Pass Pick 56: Gold Coast: Pass Pick 57: Brisbane: Richard Newell Pick 58: Adelaide: Will Young Pick 59: Melbourne: Lee Williams Pick 60: Richmond: Gibson Turner Pick 61: Fremantle: Jordan King Pick 62: Western Bulldogs: Jack Redpath Pick 63: North Melbourne: Sam Gibson Pick 64: Essendon: Hal Hunter Pick 65: St Kilda: Darren Minchington Pick 66: Sydney: Pass Pick 67: Carlton: Matthew Lodge Pick 68: West Coast: Brad Dick Pick 69: Hawthorn: Adam Pattison Pick 70: Collingwood: Daniel Farmer Pick 71: GWS: Pass Pick 72: GWS: Pass Pick 73: Adelaide: James Craig Pick 74: Richmond: Piva Wright Pick 75: Fremantle: Clancee Pearce Pick 76: Western Bulldogs: Mark Austin Pick 77: North Melbourne: Gavin Urquhart Pick 78: Essendon: Brendan Lee Pick 79: Pass Pick 80: Pass Pick 81: Collingwood: Caolan Mooney Pick 82: Pass Pick 83: Pass Pick 84: Pass Pick 85: Essendon: Anthony Long Pick 86: Pass Pick 87: Collingwood: Michael Hartley Pick 88: Pass Pick 89: Adelaide: Ben Dowdel Pick 90: Richmond: John Heslin Pick 91: Pass Pick 92: Pass Pick 93: Sydney: Harry Cunningham Pick 94: GC Suns: Josh Hall Pick 95: Sydney Swans: Jack Lynch
The Cattery
Roar Guru
It's really hard to believe that Davis will not end up being picked up by anyone, not even 31 years of age, was an All-Australian this year, you'd think he has still has plenty to offer clubs. He would have been a great fit for GWS for one season - I can't believe that they have now settled on their list and are intending to go into next season without some more mature bodies.